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Nov 30, 2008 at 12:01 AMNov 30, 2008 at 10:51 AM

Liar, liar, e-mail writer

If you want an honest answer from a colleague, try asking the question in a letter rather than e-mail. A recent study at Lehigh University found that people feel more comfortable lying in electronic messages than other kinds of communication, such as pen and paper. "We've known from other research that people react differently in e-mail than they do face to face, but this shows that intentional deception online may be a behavioral norm," said Liuba Belkin, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of management at Lehigh.

Liar, liar, e-mail writer

If you want an honest answer from a colleague, try asking the question in a letter rather than e-mail. A recent study at Lehigh University found that people feel more comfortable lying in electronic messages than other kinds of communication, such as pen and paper. "We've known from other research that people react differently in e-mail than they do face to face, but this shows that intentional deception online may be a behavioral norm," said Liuba Belkin, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of management at Lehigh.

Layoff-survivor blues

The economy is in a downward spiral, and layoffs and the unemployment rate are at their highest levels in years. At companies where job cuts are inevitable, employers need to prepare for the negative impact on the survivors, according to Sirota Consulting. Greater insecurity, higher stress and heavier workloads often follow layoffs, said Douglas Klein, president of Sirota. When people lose co-workers and friends, responses often includes anger, anxiety and guilt. "Whether they're verbalizing it or not, the surviving employees are questioning how much the company is valuing them," Klein said. Klein's advice: Be as honest as possible about the future.